Precision Rifle reloading discussions

[awp_101]

Thanks for the mention @TOTS but I don’t have anything. The only thing I’ve reloaded is 12 and 20ga and that was 20 years ago.

[SecondsCount]

Again...discussion is jogging my preoccupied brain...

It’s always interesting how some “things” seem to work especially well for some, while others it doesn’t return such measurable difference. If I had to pick the two things for ME that I got the greatest return in accuracy from, I’d list using a Sinclair Neck Uniformer as #1 and using a Forester Bushing Die as #2. (OK, painstakingly measuring charges as #3.)

The neck uniformer I use right prior to bullet seating. I run thru all the cases in the lot I’m going to load. Then, when I seat the bullet, I’m VERY in tune with the amount of pressure needed to seat the bullet. If one is a bit loose or tight, I’ll either dump it and set the case aside for another trip thru the bushing die and neck uniformer (maybe re-anneal as well)...or...load it, Mark it with a Sharpie and use it for cold bore/sighters. I have an older GemPro scale that I’ll actually measure to .01 with, using tweezers to add/subtract single grains of H1000 (.300) or Varget/RL17 (.308). My buddy, a more accomplished distance guy than me, thinks the powder measuring thing is laughable...but it puts me in my “Happy Place”.

Funny on the bullets too. I tried EVERYTHING in my R700 MilSpec. Hornady, (all the AMAX and ELDs), Berger’s of every conceivable profile and weight, Noslers...you name it. Nope. It likes those 175gr SMKs like it’s the only thing in town. The .300? It was my buddies gun originally until the 300 Norma bug bit him. I bought it knowing how well it shot. I’ve seen him ding steel at 1mi+ with it consistently. He shot Bergers exclusively. When I got the gun, he gave me some already loaded ammo with it. The Berger’s didn’t like me again. I decided to go down the Hornady ELD one more time. It loves both the 208 and the 225s, along with the older 208 AMAX.

The Hide is a decent site too, but be prepared to shovel thru a lot of shenanigans and get a good BS filter.


Yep. The 175smk is no slouch. This was at about 1080yds If I recall correctly. The lighter hits are from the .308, the darker ones the WinMag.


Attachment 86381

The whole theory behind OCW is that you find the powder charge where velocity starts to flatten out.. This makes your load less susceptible to variations in the powder charge.

Some cartridges are more sensitive to powder variation than others, which is one reason why benchrest shooters like one over another.

That said, it looks like your method is working really well

[CS Tactical]

Unfortunately I am not the one to ask about reloading here at CST and Dan isn't on the forums much. I'd say there would be some great resources here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting...loading-depot/

[SecondsCount]

Unfortunately I am not the one to ask about reloading here at CST and Dan isn't on the forums much. I'd say there would be some great resources here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting...loading-depot/

There is a good series of threads created by Tresmon called Reloading for Long Range
There are several parts, that is just the first one.

[TOTS]

Unfortunately I am not the one to ask about reloading here at CST and Dan isn't on the forums much. I'd say there would be some great resources here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting...loading-depot/

There is a good series of threads created by Tresmon called Reloading for Long Range
There are several parts, that is just the first one.

Yeah, I’m on most of the long range forums from time to time. I tend to spend most of my time here on PF and The Hide. I have to stay away from the Hide as I am less content with my optics after I swing by there. I have upgrade-itis. Like what PF does with my pistols. Whatever the pistol of the year is here I want to try.

[Clusterfrack]

Seems like this thread is drifting off topic. Maybe start another one about optics?

[SecondsCount]

Seems like this thread is drifting off topic. Maybe start another one about optics?

I would appreciate if you could split off the thread and move some of the off topic posts to it as I have refrained from saying more.

[Clusterfrack]

I would appreciate if you could split off the thread and move some of the off topic posts to it as I have refrained from saying more.

Done.
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....cope-selection

[entropy]

Getting back onto the main road...

I also keep my cases sorted. For the .308, I use Lapua cases bought in the lots of 100 in the blue box. I will go thru a new box and measure each case to make sure there isn’t a whacko tossed in there. I’ve had a couple. Then, I will uniform all the necks to get out any shipping dents. I had one box that felt funny so I ran them all thru the neck bushing die, then re-uniformed the neck yet again. Those cases will alway be with their own lot. Never mixed. I will keep track of loadings and then anneal after load number 3 regardless of how they feel when I seat the bullet. I measure OAL after each firing/depriming. I trim after I anneal. I have some Lapua cases that are working on loading #5. So far so good.

Winmag is a different animal. I KNOW this gun can outshoot me, so Ive treated it a bit different.

Along with the gun, my buddy sold me all of his .300wm dies and supplies. He had RP cases, Hornady cases, Norma, and a fair lot of RWS. The Hornady cases he had pushed pretty hard loading 230gr Berger’s in them. Lots of stretched primer pockets. I culled most of those and set the Hornady brass aside as it has the reputation (true) of being a bit soft. The RWS brass is simply a work of art in itself. The stuff is gorgeous. Downside is that the internal capacity is less than the Hornady or RP. For any given load, you end up at least a grain or two lower than the RP or Hornady for the same bullet and velocity. The Norma brass is good stuff, but only had about 125 of those. They were either unloaded or loaded once. I set those aside for the heavier bullets. That left the RP brass.

I measured, trimmed and weighed each piece of brass and grouped them into weight lots. I then set aside the extremes and broke the middle ones up into 2 batches of 100. One set I dedicated to (the now discontinued) 208 AMAX. The other lot was used for the 208 ELDM. Again, they never mix and reside in their own MTM box like the .308’s. Thru this process, I was able to develop and track load development for each bullet. I have used H1000 for everything from the beginning (that’s what my buddy used) and use Federal STANDARD primers in the 208’s and magnums in the 225’s. The only thing I’ve done different (from my buddy) is to invest in a collet die for the belted cases. I will run each case thru the die after the 3rd loading. The other aspects of case care are the same as the .308. I’ve had great luck with case longevity in the winmag as well, regardless of the manufacturer. I’m running “about” 76gr in the 208’s and 74-ish in the 225’s. My attorney say to tell you to do your own work ups. Lol

I’ve followed this general procedure with anything I’m trying to squeeze accuracy out of. That includes Privi brass for my 7.5x55 straight pulls, or .303 brass for my Enfield. The Enfield has been a challenge however. The rifle was made by Lucas Electric I swear. I’ve combined the above with Newberry’s method and have been very happy with the results. My buddy started using the Ladder Method, but after seeing how I was doing with the Newberry, he’s kinda swapped over, although he won’t admit it. Lol

Cheers

[TOTS]

I decided to add a disclaimer prior to my post: I don’t compete so all this is an academic exercise for me; just learning.

I guess I don’t really understand the thinking behind sorting your brass if you’re going to use it regardless (upon re-reading this prior to posting I feel I answered my own questions in the second half but didn’t edit anything for continuity of thought and further discussion). Is it just so you can monitor trends and adjust accordingly? If so, what are you adjusting and when? I don’t see anyone adjusting the load for brass differences. And there seems to be too many parameters to sort by to make it a usable practice for me (headstamp, volume/capacity, lot, weight, etc, where do you draw the line?). I understand for Benchrest and other disciplines where smallest groups are the goals, but, for field style shooting, I don’t see brass difference making as much of an impact as changes in wind, aiming point, shooting positions, or even barrel temperature changes from the first to say, a sixth shot on a stage.

Im not arguing against it as I’m a novice and definitely unqualified to make such a statement. And I do see the wisdom in the common practice of buying a lot of say, 100 pc of brass and loading and using that lot for a season. But then, some will even sort within that lot. I guess it’s just an area where we can control one aspect of consistency in a world of constantly changing factors.

Maybe my only issues are that I don’t have an answer for which parameters worth sorting by and that you end up buying more brass and end up with a pile of mixed leftovers that becomes… practice brass? And I’m too poor for that!

ETA; upon re-reading what @entropy posted above, he does address a lot of what I was discussing but I still left it for again, discussion. My only question would be concerning what appears to be an end state where you have several (many?) discrete loads worked up for the same rifle. Do you then, change your zero for each load? If yes, I can buy that for a dedicated lot 100/200 for a season of competition, for example, but you can see where my head starts to spin with time spent getting multiple loads sorted by impact and then at some point accepting the difference anyway or having to change the zero for every load.